Cockroaches are among the most common household pests in Australia. Every day at Defence Pest Management, our technicians work together with numerous clients in treating cockroach infestations in their homes. Depending on the season and environmental conditions, various species of cockroaches can nest in your home, although the most widespread in the country are German cockroaches.
Aside from being a nuisance to your comfort, cockroaches can bring a bigger threat to you and your family – and that includes causing illnesses and other potential health problems.
Why Do Cockroaches Linger in Your Home?
Cockroaches need food, moisture and shelter for survival. This makes your home the perfect breeding ground especially if they can find easy access to food scraps and rubbish. It’s no wonder why your kitchen will most likely become their favourite spot. They could also be hiding under the sink or crawling around leaking pipes for moisture and water.
Diseases That Cockroaches Can Spread
Since cockroaches will keep looking for food all around your home, they will not only be attracted to food scraps found in the trash bin. They will also feed on unsealed leftover meals, fruit on the counter and any food lying around. When cockroaches start feeding or gathering food, they can leave their saliva, faecal matter or even body parts in the food. If the food is eaten by humans, this may cause illnesses as cockroaches are known to be carriers of different types of bacteria.
Cockroaches may spread parasitic worms through their faeces. Salmonella bacteria, which mainly affect the intestinal tract and can cause diarrhoea, can also be transported through cockroaches. Eating food that has been contaminated by cockroaches with the E.coli bacteria, can cause vomiting, severe abdominal pains and bloody diarrhoea.
In other cases, ingesting food that has been exposed to cockroaches can trigger allergic reactions, as their saliva and body parts contain allergens. This can lead to asthma attacks, which can be life-threatening if left unmanaged.
Protecting Your Family from Cockroaches
Keeping your home clean and making sure to seal leftover food are only some of the best practices for protecting your home from cockroach infestations. Leaking pipes and clogged drains should also be repaired.
However, being nocturnal creatures, it is harder to detect cockroach infestations as you won’t find these pests running around the house during the day. Instead, they will be hiding under the refrigerator, stove, under floors or in the ceiling until they can come out at night to gather their food.
If you find these pests during the day, this can mean that there is already a large infestation, leaving them with no sufficient space in their nest. This is why we, at Defence Pest Management, suggest that you have your home regularly inspected before infestations worsen and cause harm to your family’s health.
